Inactive and abandoned underground mines. Water pollution prevention and control

Technical Report · Sun Jun 01 00:00:00 EDT 1975

OSTI ID:7216583

Scott, R L; Hays, R M

Underground mining operations across the United States produce a number of environmental problems. The foremost of these environmental concerns is acid discharges from inactive and abandoned underground mines that deteriorate streams, lakes and impoundments. Waters affected by mine drainage are altered both chemically and physically. This report discusses in Part I the chemistry and geographic extent of mine drainage pollution in the United States from inactive and abandoned underground mines; underground mining methods; and the classification of mine drainage control techniques. Control technology was developed mainly in the coal fields of the Eastern United States and may not be always applicable to other regions and other mineral mining. Available at-source mine drainage pollution prevention and control techniques are described and evaluated in Part II of the report and consist of five major categories: (1)Water Infiltration Control; (2)Mine Sealing; (3)Mining Techniques; (4)Water Handling; and (5)Discharge Quality Control. This existing technology is related to appropriate cost data and practical implementation by means of examples. (GRA)

• Research Organization: Baker (Michael), Jr., Inc., Beaver, PA (USA)
• OSTI ID: 7216583
• Report Number(s): PB-258263
• Country of Publication: United States
• Language: English

Related Subjects

520200* -- Environment
Aquatic-- Chemicals Monitoring & Transport-- (-1989)
54 ENVIRONMENTAL SCIENCES
ACTINIDES
BIBLIOGRAPHIES
CARBONACEOUS MATERIALS
COAL
DOCUMENT TYPES
ECONOMICS
ELEMENTS
ENERGY SOURCES
ENVIRONMENTAL IMPACTS
FOSSIL FUELS
FUELS
GROUND SUBSIDENCE
GROUND WATER
HYDROGEN COMPOUNDS
METALS
MINES
MINING
OXYGEN COMPOUNDS
POLLUTION
POLLUTION CONTROL
THORIUM
UNDERGROUND MINING
URANIUM
WATER
WATER POLLUTION
WATER POLLUTION CONTROL
WATER QUALITY